SINGAPORE - Global equities vaulted past their previous all-time highs in Asian trading on Thursday as optimism grew about a deal to end the Iran conflict, while traders digested ​a buffet of economic data and critical earnings reports.

MSCI's All-Country World Index advanced 0.2 percent to mark a 10th consecutive day of gains and a fresh record high ‌as US President Donald Trump touted talks between Israel and Lebanon that he said "will happen tomorrow".

The index compiler's broadest gauge of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.2 percent, putting the benchmark on track for a third consecutive day of gains, while Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 2.5 percent to a fresh record. S&P 500 e-mini futures were 0.2 percent higher.

"Hopes are high that a US-Iran deal may be struck over the coming days," analysts from DBS in Singapore wrote in ​a research note. "The Middle East conflict is no longer treated as a stress point by market participants, and we wonder if a US-Iran deal or ceasefire extension is ​already in the price."

On Wednesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.6 percent, as strong quarterly earnings from Bank of America ⁠and Morgan Stanley lifted the indexes to record highs. With around 6 percent of companies reporting earnings for the quarter, 84 percent have beaten analysts' expectations.

"As we move into the heart of earnings season, the ​focus is shifting back toward fundamentals, with a more idiosyncratic, stock-driven environment beginning to take hold," said Scott Rubner, head of equity and equity derivatives strategy at Citadel Securities in New York. "This ​reset provides a more constructive entry point in equities, particularly across large-cap quality growth."

"We remain constructive overall" on emerging market stocks as "underlying profit growth is likely to be strong", analysts from Goldman Sachs wrote in a research report.

Earnings ​in the region will be "driven by AI-related demand, which should be relatively insulated from the direct impacts of the oil shock".

In oil markets, Brent crude fluctuated between gains and losses, and was last down ​0.2 percent at $94.71 a barrel.

The US dollar index , which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was flat at 98.00, nursing a ninth consecutive day of declines as geopolitical worries eased and traders brought forward expectations of monetary policy easing from the Federal Reserve.

On Wednesday, Trump threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell from his separate seat on the US central bank's Board of Governors if Powell does not vacate that post as well when his term as Fed chief ends on May ​15, intensifying a complicated standoff that has upended ​the Fed's usually smooth transition of power ⁠and renewing concerns about its independence.

The euro edged up to within sight of its highest level since the war began at $1.182325, extending its recent winning streak into a ninth consecutive day.

Australian shares were down 0.4 percent and the Aussie dollar rose 0.3 percent to a four-year ⁠high of $0.71890 after data ​showed on Thursday that Australian employment rose broadly in line with expectations in March as firms hired more full-time workers, ​while the jobless rate held steady at 4.3 percent.

"The latest data will reinforce the RBA’s assessment that upside risks to inflation are greater than downside risks to the labour market," analysts from Capital Economics wrote in a research report, referring ​to the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Gold clawed back 0.8 percent at $4,825.79, while in cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was up 0.3 percent at $75,084.56 and ether was down 0.2 percent at $2,359.89.